Tuesday, September 16, 2008

My brother Jacob was married in Portland, Oregon last weekend. A joyous occasion, definitely, but there was a hint of anxiousness as Hurricane Ike barged into our hometown of Houston, Texas. We were relieved that Mom and Jacob’s best man had flown out to Portland before they closed the airports on Friday, but it didn’t mitigate the sadness we felt as we watched the destruction on TV.

I’ve only been in one hurricane in my life—Hurricane Alicia back in 1983. That was the last big one to hit Houston and much of the news coverage referenced the parallels in the two storms’ aftermaths. Beyond flooded streets, there were also piles of glass, stacks of tree limbs and wrecked buildings. But even if you’re spared all of that destruction, no one is spared the loss of electricity.

Besides riding my bike around the neighborhood during the eye of Alicia, having no power for a few days (in the hot, humid summer no less) is my biggest recollection of that storm, and that meant lots of card games and nap times. But what did we eat? I couldn’t remember, so I asked my dad. He said peanut butter.

I’ve been looking at Hurricane Ike relief sites, and indeed if they are soliciting food donations, peanut butter is at the top of their list. Peanut butter for me is one of those perfect foods: it’s a little sweet; it’s a little salty; it needs no adornment (though certain things such as bananas, chocolate chips or jam are very welcome); it can be eaten any time of day; it can be a snack or a main dish; and it only takes a couple of tablespoons to fill you up and give you energy.

But what I also recently learned is that it is very easy to make your own peanut butter. You just throw a bunch of peanuts into your food processor with a bit of oil and in no time you have the freshest, healthiest peanut butter you’ve ever tasted. And if you want to doll it up with spices, cayenne powder or even chocolate, no problem.

My family and friends are OK and I pray yours are, too. My heart goes out to all of those who are suffering through the wake of Hurricane Ike and hopefully, their lives will soon return to normal. I wish I could be there to help with the clean up, but in the meantime I’ll show my solidarity by eating peanut butter.

Method:
Place the ingredients in your food processor, and blend until it turns creamy—about a minute or so. (First it will turn into powder but keep blending, it will get there soon!)

Variations:Chunky: If you want chunky peanut butter, set aside a quarter cup of peanuts, and stir them into the peanut butter after it’s blended in the processor.Sweeter: Add 1/2 tablespoon of honey to ingredients.Spicy: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to ingredients.Chocolate: Add an extra 1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut oil, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of honey or agave nectar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. You’ll have to blend it a bit longer than regular peanut butter.

I have to lol at your post, because I remember endless peanut butter during Alicia too. My parents still live in the same place in Houston, and when I asked if they were ready for this storm, my dad saif "Yep.. got plenty of peanut butter and water in the house."

It was very hard watching KHOU live feed on the computer while Ike raged through, knowing the places they were showing, and worrying about my family there, and being able to do nothing. Thanks for the reminder that something can be done now to help those in need.

Nicole--I know! If I'd known it was this easy, I would have started making it a long time ago!

Erin--Yeah, very bad but very good. Thankfully, I'm full after a few tablespoons.

Willowcaroline--My mom still doesn't have power either, but she said a cold front came through so it's not unbearable. And I stayed up way past my West Coast bedtime on Friday watching the storm hit--it was indeed very hard. Hope your family stays OK.

Hello Homesick Texan! I am a transplant from the mid-Atlantic to South East Texas (Kingsville) and I really love reading and viewing your blog...mmm... homemade peanut butter...maybe I'll try it with honey-roasted nuts? Or, for my health's sake, almonds. I have a hard time finding fresh nut butters here in Kville, so this is great to know! Thanks!

So glad to know that your family came through the hurricane safely -- I do know people in Houston who lost power, whose homes were flooded. Awful. I'm not a peanut butter lover, though I always have it in the pantry and use it to make sauces.

Like you, I am a transplanted Texan, a Houstonian to the bone. I have watched the coverage on the Chronicle's website and abc 13 and my heart breaks seeing the devestation to my home and my people. Don't forget the SPCA, lost pets need food and sometimes medical care.

Another Houston reader checking in. I remember Alicia as being a total blast. Now I'm realizing how much stress my parents were going through and how lucky I was to only be worried about riding my bike over to my friends house because their backyard had flooded and we were all playing slip & slide on tarps! :)

Thanks for the awesome PB recipes. May have to try one of those when we're able to go home. (Camped out at in-laws til we have power again.

Check out this article about why people don't evacuate during a hurricane: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94634480. I hope the link comes through. Having lived in hurricane country for almost 5 years now, it makes perfect sense to me. Check out my blog for our hurricane supplies.

I'm from Houston (Humble actually) and we rode out the storm, but since we have no power and no more gas we left for South Texas. I remember Alicia (we were in Sealy) and Tornadoes ripped up our trees.

Thankfully all my family is in West Texas, and I'm happy to hear your family made it through ok.

I've made peanut butter like this before, but after a while all the oil floats to the top and the peanut butter gets hard as a rock. Do you know how to stop this or is this just the price one pays for nom nom fresh peanut butter?

If you like crunchy peanut butter, stir in a 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts after the food processor has done its thing. Another variation I like is adding 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/3 cup of raisins. Delicious!

Thanks so much for your great blog. I only recently started reading blogs on a regular basis, and yours is one of my faves!!As a recent transplant to Austin from West Texas, this is my first close experience of any kind with hurricanes. Even though Austin saw none of the weather effects of the storm, we are definitely seeing the effects of it on those who evacuated to Austin. And I'm sure I speak for all when I say that we are all grateful for the cooler weather! :)

I'm in west Houston (Spring Branch area) and we've been without power since about midnight the night Ike hit. Thank goodness God smiled down on us and brought the first much-needed cool front of the season. So while a majority of us are still suffering without AC, at least it's not as brutal as it could be.

I'm over at my sister's house now (she DOES have power), and after checking email, etc., your blog was one of my first stops.

Just wanted to say that it felt good reading about peanut butter and Texas during a time when I needed the diversion. Keep on keepin' on, girl.

Well, I'd typed out a long reply and blogspot ate it. :( Must have gone well with peanut butter, lol.

I was born in Houston and lived there for years. We have family there and they have been sticking it out through the storm. I hope they're okay. I remember Alicia as well, camping out in the bathroom with my dad and grandma while my mom was stuck at work with no electricity and 3 feet of water on the streets of Houston. I hope Houston is able to recover soon.... prayers for your family and friends as well!

I'm getting ready to move back to Texas, San Antonio to be exact. :) The past 15 years I've been living in Arizona and Oklahoma, and can't wait to get back to Texas, where my roots are.

I'm loving your blog. :) The PB recipe is fabulous, and I'm excited to give it a try. I LOVE homemaking and doing things from scratch as well. You can check out my blog, if you like, at Reclaiming The Home: http://homegrownrose.typepad.com/reclaimingthehome/

I am writing from Houston, Texas. We are slowly regaining power and our lives as we know them. I agree with your views about peanut butter. It has been my sustenance throughout this storm. I sing the praises of it loudly. In my opinion, it is the perfect food. That and Nutella! I cannot wait to regain power in my apartment so that I can make my own homemade PB! Love your blog!

I will never forget Alicia because it hit in the daytime and there were fascinating, awful shots of glass blowing out of skyscrapers and crashing to the streets. My daughter lives in Nacogdoches, a long way up from the coast, but her power and phones, including cell, have been out all week. They're eating lots of peanut butter.

Thanks for the recipe. PB is definitely a comfort food for me. Also thanks for posting the relief site links. Me and mine are very fortunate, all alive and well with minimal damage to our homes. There are hundreds of thousands who aren't and they desperately need the basics like clothes, food, water, ice, meds etc. Stores are coming back online, but many have limited supplies of dry goods and no dairy/meat. Am now in Austin. My neighbor called to say we got power back on today so heading home tomorrow. The electrical crews are working fast and furiously in the whole area. God bless them and their families for the sacrifices they make to help others.

You're preaching to the preacher here! Peanut butter is the perfect food and homemade peanut butter is wonderful. I would do it more often but it amazes me how it's still cheaper to buy it in a jar. Depends on your source of course, but I buy it from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, only $1.69 a jar. It's near impossible to find peanuts for $1.69 a pound.

If you're interested, I've got some great recipes on my site for flavors that I always keep on hand (using peanuts from scratch or simply mix-in to the jar) like cinnamon currant, maple and apple pie flavored. But I wonder if instead of adding peanut oil you used palm oil like the no-stir brands use to get a homemade no-stir peanut butter?

Talida--Wow! What a story! I don't think you ever have to fear a hurricane being named Talida--that would be a ton of hurricanes in one year if it did happen. And I haven't tried almond butter, but I need, too.

Dayna--Yeah, I fear the tornadoes the most.

Tracy--It's great with chocolate chips and bananas for breakfast.

Direct Deposit--Yes, they're shelled. It would be pretty crunchy if they weren't!

Anon--You just have to keep stirring it, though if you don't make as large a batch you find that you can eat it all before this happens.

Gregg--Raisins? What a clever idea!

Esmeralda--That's what my mom said--the cold front that came through after Ike made it having no power all the more bearable.

Elizabeth--Glad you're OK, and hope you get your power back soon.

Kristin--How cool you're moving back to Texas--I love San Antonio--it's so beautiful there.

KnittingReader--Good to hear you have your power again. And that's what everyone is saying--Ike is far worse than Alicia.

Sweet Pea--It's great to eat when you have no power--and it keeps you full for a long time, too.

Phaedra--Oh Nutella! Tha's another one of my faves--ever had a Nutella, PB and cream cheese sandwich? Pure, unadulterated decadence!

Working Girl--Welcome--I'm so pleased to hear that you enjoy stopping by! That makes my day!

Ginny--Wow--I had no idea the power was off all the way to Nacogdoches. Hope they get power again soon.

Two Party Planners--Glad you're OK but sorry to hear you had damage. And that's what everyone keeps saying--this was a lot worse than Alicia.

Anne--That's why I love the chocolate peanut butter--each bite is like a Reece's cup but because it's not candy it somehow feels healthier, more virtuous. Ha!

AT--Yep, love the banana with the PB! I could eat that every day!

Texasann--I'm happy to hear you're OK. And I pray that things get back to normal soon.

Little Warrior's Mom--I have a bag of walnuts that I can't wait to try your recipe with--sounds like it would be a great spread on banana or zucchini bread!

Love your blog! My husband was a college freshman during Alecia. He went home to help his parents secure their old Galveston Victorian. At one point his mom tied a rope to him so he could go out and nail more shutters closed. I asked her why they stayed and she says... no one knew it was going to be that bad. The house survived the 1910 storm and Alecia. We don't know about this one yet.

I'm a misplaced Texan in Virginia.. we had some hurricanes here and I went through my drill when the power goes..

1. Eat the ice cream.

2. Crank up the smoker/bbq and cook the frozen meat as it thaws..

3. Have the chain saw, Coleman stove/lanterns ready..

The local Vuginyuns were amazed that I could be so calm without "powah". Hell, I had my smoker stoked with apple and pecan and was having a great time.. I told the neighbors to bring their thawing meay over and I cook it.. thay appreciated that.

Houston checking in again - my news is mostly good; no power at my house, but there *is* power at my mom's in Pasadena, so that's where I am. My company is running on generator power. All friends and family safely accounted for; dear Galvestonian friend displaced and out of a job.

Thanks for the good thoughts. And I will be trying this peanut butter as stuff gets back to normal!

Hi from Houston. Our neighborhood is in day 7 of no electricity. No fun. The weather has been wonderful after the hurricaine, though. 50's at night and low 80's during the day. That is ending this weekend and the 90's are returning. Keep us in your prayers.

I'm loving the unsweetened natural peanut butters that are out now, no more will I look at Jiffy or Peter Pan. After my tastes changed to whole wheat and I tried to use traditional PB some years ago, I found them too sweet. I'm currently using Smuckers Natural, and all that's in it is PEANUTS. Groundbreaking!

Yes, thank God everyone is okay. Cuba got hit bad too and we're so thankful our family down there is okay. It's just so sad. Love the super easy peanut butter recipe.. geeesh i can't remember the last time i made it... thanks for taking me back to the days of shopping at GIANT foods and running to the peanut butter machine!

Hey, I live in a suburb of Portland! So glad to hear that all those important to you are okay. Our friends relatives lost everything. So very sad. Love the peanut butter ... my daughter loves the chocolate version.

I'm so glad all your family are okay. I was thinking about them. Your peanut butter looks pretty good, but I'm not sure even it can turn me into a peanut butter lover. I just vastly prefer my goobers whole :-)

One thing I remember about Alicia was watching the news team on Channel 2 KPRC and you could hear things banging around outside the studio as the storm raged (insert dramatic video footage of showers of skyscraper glass). Then the newscasters just suddenly stopped talking and turned and looked at each other for a second. They continued on but Alicia’s eye had come and it was dead quiet and obviously eerie for them. Then after a while things started banging again and they went off the air. I was near Huntsville for that one. Ike will likely become this generation’s Carla when it comes to comparisons.

Lara--They tied him with a rope? Wow. I hope your husband's family home is OK.

Tbsamsel--Yep, that's the sensible way to deal with a loss of power--have a barbecue!

Plum Texan--I'm so glad all your friends and family are accounted for--that's the most important thing.

Jancd--I can't believe that it's taking so long for people to get their power back--what a mess.

Olivia--I agree, after eating natural peanut butter for so long, the other stuff just tastes too sweet and too cloying.

Mr. Sound and Mrs. Sound--Thanks.

Bren--It's hard living in the hurricane zone, isn't it? I can't even imagine how vulnerable you must feel living on an island. Glad your family is OK.

Paula--I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's relatives.

Deb--Thanks!

Karina--It's good stuff. And thanks!

Alice Q. Foodie--C'mon, you can do it! I hate change, but you just take a deep breath and then hit publish. You can always go back to your old template if you don't like it.

Kristen--You're welcome!

Ann--You don't love peanut butter? Even with chocolate?

Jigsaw Jones--I'm glad your family is OK.

Rooth--Wow--you only lost power for a couple of hours? That's wonderful news! The city needs to figure out what went right in the Heights so they can apply that knowledge to the rest of the power grid.

Cynthia--Thank you.

Chicken-Fried Gourmet--Many thanks!

Ms. Judy--The eye is creepy. The silence is so strange after all that ruckus.

I'm an ex-Houstonian (I literally just moved to Austin a month ago), and while Ike was going on I was understandably freaking out--my family's fine, though, and their power's back on and all. Still praying the rest of the city has a speedy recovery.

I have to say, though, the reason I'm proudest of Houston/Galveston is--well, go to YouTube and search for "Ike bear". AWESOME.

So I decided to expand my blog writing while updating my xanga site, and decided to go the Blogger route. I stumbled upon your site, and I have to say I feel like I'm back home. Originally from the Houston area, I've been up here in NH of all places for my job, and to read some of your blog so far makes me feel like TX isn't that far away. I hope to visit NYC soon, so I may have to shoot some questions your way. Thanks so much and many blessings sent your way!

I came across your site on Blogs of Note, and I'm from houston also. I have pictures of some of the damage that Ike did to our neighborhood on my blog. I still can't believe there are people with out power STILL. I love you site. very interesting.

Nice blog. I clicked on the Blogs of Note and yours looked interesting. We're in Katy and never lost power through Ike. But I haven't been able to go back to work yet. Hopefully, we'll get power there this week. It was our first hurricane, as we're from the Midwest, and we felt like it was a good trial run and we learned a lot. I eat peanut butter nearly every day, but I'm not much of a cook, sad to say. At least now I know where a good recipe is if I need it, though. Good luck with your blog.

I'm originally from Texas, and I have family in Houston, and it was tough being up in Portland while watching the coverage. I really wanted to be down there with my family, so I could go through it with them.

P.S. - The name of your blog really caught my eye because I'm a homesick Texan as well.

i really like your blog, i know just what it's like to be homesick for a great place (for me, it's the mountains of NC). i'm glad i found you on blogs of note, and i'll be adding you to my blogroll. i'm sorry about Houston, i also know what it's like to be in a bad hurricane (i grew up near the NC coast). i hope everyone there is safe. take care and happy blog writing!

i'm a homesick texan, too. could someone please send me some carne asada from ninfa's (the one on navigation in houston if possible) or any sort of combination plate from herrera's in dallas? thanks a bunch.

My prayers are with you...even up north into the Kentucky and Ohio valleys, we are suffering the loss of power, downed trees, damaged homes. Last week, I took food to my mother, disabled & on food program that only brings microwavable dishes. With no power, she lost a month's worth of food. Not good for a diabetic! The first thing I packed was peanut butter! The next was Spam!

I'm in Houston and this was my first hurricane. It was quite scary, l hope l never go through anything like that again! We were out of lights for a week, thank God the weather was cooler. We didn't take it seriously, we moved here from Los Angeles almost a year ago and had no idea why people were panicking. I can honestly say l preferred the earthquakes..Your blog is quite nice, and l will try the recipe..

Just found you site. Love it. I am an East Texan living in the Suburbs of Paris, France. I love peanut butter as well. In Overton Texas there is a cute little shop that makes and sells all different kinds of peanut butter imaginable. The Peanut Butter Emporium. On your next trip to houston you should stop by. I definitely recommend it. Merci, au revior!

I found your site this afternoon as well. I have lived in Houston since 1978 and have weathered Alicia, Ike, and a host of tropical storms. I, too, remember going outside during the eye of Alicia. What a strange feeling. We are on the west side of town, so during Ike, we were without power, but had minimal damage to our home.

I love the peanut chicken recipe above. Might be good with some rice and chinese vegetables.

I have never read a blog with such charm and hearwarming simplicity. My mother always told me that food was a remedy for all sorts of things. You make it seem as though it can be used as a simple remedy of the heart. I cant wait to read more from you!

Ike has been a life reflecting experience for me. 15 days without power. And we were the lucky ones with a gas stove top, a store nearby that had not lost power, water.....yet, I felt lost. In physical pain-probably those darn allegies now that the widows were open.However I also felt so blessed to meet my neighbors, and to know they are good people. Somehow I don't want this start to a better way for life to stop once the AC comes on and we all crawl backto our holes. I want community- next door regardless of religion. I want to share this street with my friends of location.

I found your blog today and really enjoyed your down to earth writings. I'll definitely give more appreciations to the little things I take for granted that come with living in Texas. :)

My employer was kind enough to give us a day and a half off to prepare for Ike, and the first thing I ran to the store to get was Peanut Butter!! LOTS and LOTS of peanut butter! Out of all the non-perishable things I ate for the three weeks without power, peanut butter was the one food I never got tired of. It's absolutely one of my favorite foods. I particularly enjoy it with apples.

Thanks for posting the recipe -- I never really imagined that it was something I could easily make myself.

That reminds me of visiting my grandparents growing up. They lived near DeLeon/Gorman (south of Ft. Worth), and there were a lot of farmers who grew peanuts. They'd always buy some fresh peanuts and I remember how good those were. Wish we had thought of making peanut butter out of those!

What a delicious blog! thanks. I'm more of a 'homesick north-of-the-Texas-border-an', but I still miss so many of these great dishes.

As for peanut butter, what a treat! I became an addict during my first pregnancy. Try using the little Spanish peanuts. You can remove the papers between two towels, though some is fine and gives an interesting appearance. However, the flavor of the Spanish peanuts has a much more intense peanut flavor.

I'm a HUGE fan of peanut butter, and this is easily the best peanut butter I've ever had. Seriously, I just made a batch and had to run over to my computer to let you know that I feel like a fool for buying Skippy all these years when it's so easy to make your own!

Thanks so much for giving me this recipe and for your blog in general. My boyfriend is a Texan transplant, and he really appreciates all of the recipes (and Texas trivia) that I've learned from your site.

I just came across this post and found this delicious-sounding recipe! I have a question though -- can I substitute almonds to make almond butter, and if so, would I still use peanut oil? Or do you suggest a different recipe for almond butter? Thank you! I can't wait to try this recipe for PB!

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